Abandoned cub in Panna to get a new home in Kanha

TNN | Aug 27, 2012, 02.07AM IST BHOPAL: The six -month old tiger cub that was abandoned by a tigress in the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) would shortly get a new home in the world's famous Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR). "We are going to shift the tiger cub by road to KTR where it would be housed in an enclosure before being released in the wild," PTR field director RS Murthy told TOI. A divisional forest officer (DFO) and veterinarian would accompany the cub from PTR to KTR, he added. "Possibly we might shift the cub on Monday or later this week," Murthy said. All preparations have to be made at KTR for housing the cub, officials said. Kanha sanctuary has perfected the art of hand-rearing cubs by successfully raising two orphaned tigresses. KTR is having an enclosure in which the two orphaned tigresses were reared and later on trans-located to PTR to revive the big cat population. More than three months ago, a tigress christened T-1 abandoned the cub in PTR after which the NTCA asked the MP forest department to shift it to Van Vihar zoo and animal rescue and rehabilitation here. But the forest officials had asked National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) that it wants to shift the cub to KTR which was cleared. The tigress christened T- 1 gave birth to this cub along with three others in a cave of PTR on February 16. On March 29, the tigress shifted to another cave some 2 km away from the first but didn't carry the fragile cub. But, it returned to its previous cave on April 2 and fed this abandoned cub. This time also, T - 1 didn't take the cub with it after which the PTR authorities with electronic gadgets, kept a watch on its movement and when its condition deteriorated it was rescued from the cave on April 12 and kept in a well-equipped room in PTR. Felines usually abandon their cubs when they turn weak, according to wildlife experts. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Abandoned-cub-in-Panna-to-get-a-new-home-in-Kanha/articleshow/15784369.cms